Which has better earnings and valuation, AMGN or MRK?

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than Amgen. Amgen is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Company Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Amgen $36.75B 5.78 $7.71B $16.09 24.42 Merck & Co., Inc. $65.01B 5.60 $18.25B $1.25 118.06

Is AMGN or MRK more profitable?

Amgen has a net margin of 22.95% compared to Merck & Co., Inc.'s net margin of 4.77%. Amgen's return on equity of 124.14% beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity. Company Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Amgen 22.95% 124.14% 13.18% Merck & Co., Inc. 4.77% 16.73% 6.13%

Does the media refer more to AMGN or MRK?

In the previous week, Amgen had 22 more articles in the media than Merck & Co., Inc.. MarketBeat recorded 59 mentions for Amgen and 37 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc.. Merck & Co., Inc.'s average media sentiment score of 1.16 beat Amgen's score of 0.42 indicating that Merck & Co., Inc. is being referred to more favorably in the news media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment Amgen 23 Very Positive mention(s) 6 Positive mention(s) 15 Neutral mention(s) 11 Negative mention(s) 3 Very Negative mention(s) Neutral Merck & Co., Inc. 26 Very Positive mention(s) 6 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 2 Very Negative mention(s) Positive

Does the media refer more to MRK or GILD?

In the previous week, Gilead Sciences had 4 more articles in the media than Merck & Co., Inc.. MarketBeat recorded 41 mentions for Gilead Sciences and 37 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc.. Merck & Co., Inc.'s average media sentiment score of 1.16 beat Gilead Sciences' score of 1.04 indicating that Merck & Co., Inc. is being referred to more favorably in the media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment Merck & Co., Inc. 26 Very Positive mention(s) 6 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 2 Very Negative mention(s) Positive Gilead Sciences 26 Very Positive mention(s) 3 Positive mention(s) 5 Neutral mention(s) 1 Negative mention(s) 2 Very Negative mention(s) Positive

Which has better earnings and valuation, MRNA or MRK?

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than Moderna. Moderna is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Company Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Moderna $2.21B 24.88 -$2.82B -$7.99 N/A Merck & Co., Inc. $65.01B 5.60 $18.25B $1.25 118.06

Is MRNA or MRK more profitable?

Merck & Co., Inc. has a net margin of 4.77% compared to Moderna's net margin of -141.43%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity of 16.73% beat Moderna's return on equity. Company Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Moderna -141.43% -28.30% -19.39% Merck & Co., Inc. 4.77% 16.73% 6.13%

Does the media prefer MRNA or MRK?

In the previous week, Moderna had 6 more articles in the media than Merck & Co., Inc.. MarketBeat recorded 43 mentions for Moderna and 37 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc.. Merck & Co., Inc.'s average media sentiment score of 1.16 beat Moderna's score of 0.50 indicating that Merck & Co., Inc. is being referred to more favorably in the news media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment Moderna 12 Very Positive mention(s) 11 Positive mention(s) 9 Neutral mention(s) 5 Negative mention(s) 4 Very Negative mention(s) Neutral Merck & Co., Inc. 26 Very Positive mention(s) 6 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 2 Very Negative mention(s) Positive

Does the media refer more to VRTX or MRK?

In the previous week, Merck & Co., Inc. had 17 more articles in the media than Vertex Pharmaceuticals. MarketBeat recorded 37 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc. and 20 mentions for Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Merck & Co., Inc.'s average media sentiment score of 1.16 beat Vertex Pharmaceuticals' score of 1.01 indicating that Merck & Co., Inc. is being referred to more favorably in the news media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment Vertex Pharmaceuticals 14 Very Positive mention(s) 3 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 1 Negative mention(s) 1 Very Negative mention(s) Positive Merck & Co., Inc. 26 Very Positive mention(s) 6 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 2 Very Negative mention(s) Positive

Which has better valuation & earnings, MRK or ABBV?

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than AbbVie. AbbVie is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Company Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Merck & Co., Inc. $65.01B 5.60 $18.25B $1.25 118.06 AbbVie $61.16B 7.22 $4.23B $3.54 70.59

Is MRK or ABBV more profitable?

AbbVie has a net margin of 9.80% compared to Merck & Co., Inc.'s net margin of 4.77%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity of 16.73% beat AbbVie's return on equity. Company Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Merck & Co., Inc. 4.77% 16.73% 6.13% AbbVie 9.80% -422.07% 14.34%

Does the media favor MRK or ABBV?

In the previous week, AbbVie had 94 more articles in the media than Merck & Co., Inc.. MarketBeat recorded 131 mentions for AbbVie and 37 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc.. AbbVie's average media sentiment score of 1.39 beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s score of 1.16 indicating that AbbVie is being referred to more favorably in the news media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment Merck & Co., Inc. 26 Very Positive mention(s) 6 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 2 Very Negative mention(s) Positive AbbVie 108 Very Positive mention(s) 8 Positive mention(s) 10 Neutral mention(s) 1 Negative mention(s) 3 Very Negative mention(s) Positive

Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Competitors

$147.58 -0.88 (-0.59%)

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MRK vs. AMGN, GILD, MRNA, VRTX, and ABBV

Should you buy Merck & Co., Inc. stock or one of its competitors? Merck & Co., Inc.'s main competitors and comparable companies include Amgen (AMGN), Gilead Sciences (GILD), Moderna (MRNA), Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX), and AbbVie (ABBV). Companies are selected based on similarities in market, industry, and size. These companies are all part of the "healthcare" sector.

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Amgen?

Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) and Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) are both large-cap healthcare companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their risk, dividends, profitability, valuation, institutional ownership, earnings, media sentiment and analyst recommendations.

Amgen has a net margin of 22.95% compared to Merck & Co., Inc.'s net margin of 4.77%. Amgen's return on equity of 124.14% beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Amgen	22.95%	124.14%	13.18%
Merck & Co., Inc.	4.77%	16.73%	6.13%

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than Amgen. Amgen is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Amgen	$36.75B	5.78	$7.71B	$16.09	24.42
Merck & Co., Inc.	$65.01B	5.60	$18.25B	$1.25	118.06

Amgen currently has a consensus price target of $381.68, suggesting a potential downside of 2.87%. Merck & Co., Inc. has a consensus price target of $149.80, suggesting a potential upside of 1.51%. Given Merck & Co., Inc.'s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Merck & Co., Inc. is more favorable than Amgen.

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Amgen	3 Sell rating(s)	14 Hold rating(s)	12 Buy rating(s)	1 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.37
Merck & Co., Inc.	0 Sell rating(s)	8 Hold rating(s)	15 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.65

In the previous week, Amgen had 22 more articles in the media than Merck & Co., Inc.. MarketBeat recorded 59 mentions for Amgen and 37 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc.. Merck & Co., Inc.'s average media sentiment score of 1.16 beat Amgen's score of 0.42 indicating that Merck & Co., Inc. is being referred to more favorably in the news media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
Amgen	23 Very Positive mention(s)	6 Positive mention(s)	15 Neutral mention(s)	11 Negative mention(s)	3 Very Negative mention(s)	Neutral
Merck & Co., Inc.	26 Very Positive mention(s)	6 Positive mention(s)	1 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	2 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive

Amgen has a beta of 0.43, meaning that its share price is 57% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, Merck & Co., Inc. has a beta of 0.21, meaning that its share price is 79% less volatile than the broader market.

Amgen pays an annual dividend of $10.08 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.6%. Merck & Co., Inc. pays an annual dividend of $3.40 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.3%. Amgen pays out 62.6% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Merck & Co., Inc. pays out 272.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Amgen has increased its dividend for 14 consecutive years and Merck & Co., Inc. has increased its dividend for 14 consecutive years. Amgen is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio.

76.5% of Amgen shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 76.1% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.9% of Amgen shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.2% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

Amgen beats Merck & Co., Inc. on 12 of the 19 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Gilead Sciences?

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) and Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) are both large-cap healthcare companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, media sentiment, analyst recommendations, risk, dividends, institutional ownership, earnings and profitability.

In the previous week, Gilead Sciences had 4 more articles in the media than Merck & Co., Inc.. MarketBeat recorded 41 mentions for Gilead Sciences and 37 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc.. Merck & Co., Inc.'s average media sentiment score of 1.16 beat Gilead Sciences' score of 1.04 indicating that Merck & Co., Inc. is being referred to more favorably in the media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
Merck & Co., Inc.	26 Very Positive mention(s)	6 Positive mention(s)	1 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	2 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
Gilead Sciences	26 Very Positive mention(s)	3 Positive mention(s)	5 Neutral mention(s)	1 Negative mention(s)	2 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive

Merck & Co., Inc. pays an annual dividend of $3.40 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.3%. Gilead Sciences pays an annual dividend of $3.28 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.2%. Merck & Co., Inc. pays out 272.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Gilead Sciences pays out -122.8% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Merck & Co., Inc. has increased its dividend for 14 consecutive years and Gilead Sciences has increased its dividend for 10 consecutive years. Merck & Co., Inc. is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

Merck & Co., Inc. has a net margin of 4.77% compared to Gilead Sciences' net margin of -10.64%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity of 16.73% beat Gilead Sciences' return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Merck & Co., Inc.	4.77%	16.73%	6.13%
Gilead Sciences	-10.64%	-2.11%	-0.75%

Merck & Co., Inc. currently has a consensus price target of $149.80, suggesting a potential upside of 1.51%. Gilead Sciences has a consensus price target of $158.04, suggesting a potential upside of 7.97%. Given Gilead Sciences' stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Gilead Sciences is more favorable than Merck & Co., Inc..

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Merck & Co., Inc.	0 Sell rating(s)	8 Hold rating(s)	15 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.65
Gilead Sciences	0 Sell rating(s)	5 Hold rating(s)	23 Buy rating(s)	1 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.86

76.1% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 83.7% of Gilead Sciences shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.2% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.3% of Gilead Sciences shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than Gilead Sciences. Gilead Sciences is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Merck & Co., Inc.	$65.01B	5.60	$18.25B	$1.25	118.06
Gilead Sciences	$29.44B	6.16	$8.51B	-$2.67	N/A

Merck & Co., Inc. has a beta of 0.21, meaning that its stock price is 79% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, Gilead Sciences has a beta of 0.33, meaning that its stock price is 67% less volatile than the broader market.

Summary

Merck & Co., Inc. and Gilead Sciences tied by winning 10 of the 20 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Moderna?

Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) and Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) are both large-cap healthcare companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, profitability, dividends, media sentiment, risk, institutional ownership, earnings and analyst recommendations.

In the previous week, Moderna had 6 more articles in the media than Merck & Co., Inc.. MarketBeat recorded 43 mentions for Moderna and 37 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc.. Merck & Co., Inc.'s average media sentiment score of 1.16 beat Moderna's score of 0.50 indicating that Merck & Co., Inc. is being referred to more favorably in the news media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
Moderna	12 Very Positive mention(s)	11 Positive mention(s)	9 Neutral mention(s)	5 Negative mention(s)	4 Very Negative mention(s)	Neutral
Merck & Co., Inc.	26 Very Positive mention(s)	6 Positive mention(s)	1 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	2 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive

Moderna currently has a consensus target price of $76.72, suggesting a potential downside of 44.30%. Merck & Co., Inc. has a consensus target price of $149.80, suggesting a potential upside of 1.51%. Given Merck & Co., Inc.'s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Merck & Co., Inc. is more favorable than Moderna.

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Moderna	5 Sell rating(s)	12 Hold rating(s)	7 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.08
Merck & Co., Inc.	0 Sell rating(s)	8 Hold rating(s)	15 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.65

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than Moderna. Moderna is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Moderna	$2.21B	24.88	-$2.82B	-$7.99	N/A
Merck & Co., Inc.	$65.01B	5.60	$18.25B	$1.25	118.06

75.3% of Moderna shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 76.1% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are owned by institutional investors. 10.8% of Moderna shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.2% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Merck & Co., Inc. has a net margin of 4.77% compared to Moderna's net margin of -141.43%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity of 16.73% beat Moderna's return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Moderna	-141.43%	-28.30%	-19.39%
Merck & Co., Inc.	4.77%	16.73%	6.13%

Moderna has a beta of 1.1, meaning that its share price is 10% more volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, Merck & Co., Inc. has a beta of 0.21, meaning that its share price is 79% less volatile than the broader market.

Summary

Merck & Co., Inc. beats Moderna on 12 of the 16 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Vertex Pharmaceuticals?

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) and Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) are both large-cap healthcare companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, valuation, dividends, profitability, institutional ownership, risk, analyst recommendations and media sentiment.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals has a beta of 0.32, indicating that its stock price is 68% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, Merck & Co., Inc. has a beta of 0.21, indicating that its stock price is 79% less volatile than the broader market.

91.0% of Vertex Pharmaceuticals shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 76.1% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are held by institutional investors. 0.2% of Vertex Pharmaceuticals shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 0.2% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Vertex Pharmaceuticals is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Vertex Pharmaceuticals	$12.59B	10.54	$3.95B	$17.18	30.43
Merck & Co., Inc.	$65.01B	5.60	$18.25B	$1.25	118.06

Vertex Pharmaceuticals has a net margin of 35.00% compared to Merck & Co., Inc.'s net margin of 4.77%. Vertex Pharmaceuticals' return on equity of 23.09% beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Vertex Pharmaceuticals	35.00%	23.09%	16.72%
Merck & Co., Inc.	4.77%	16.73%	6.13%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals currently has a consensus price target of $569.52, suggesting a potential upside of 8.94%. Merck & Co., Inc. has a consensus price target of $149.80, suggesting a potential upside of 1.51%. Given Vertex Pharmaceuticals' stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, research analysts plainly believe Vertex Pharmaceuticals is more favorable than Merck & Co., Inc..

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Vertex Pharmaceuticals	0 Sell rating(s)	2 Hold rating(s)	20 Buy rating(s)	1 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.96
Merck & Co., Inc.	0 Sell rating(s)	8 Hold rating(s)	15 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.65

In the previous week, Merck & Co., Inc. had 17 more articles in the media than Vertex Pharmaceuticals. MarketBeat recorded 37 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc. and 20 mentions for Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Merck & Co., Inc.'s average media sentiment score of 1.16 beat Vertex Pharmaceuticals' score of 1.01 indicating that Merck & Co., Inc. is being referred to more favorably in the news media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
Vertex Pharmaceuticals	14 Very Positive mention(s)	3 Positive mention(s)	1 Neutral mention(s)	1 Negative mention(s)	1 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
Merck & Co., Inc.	26 Very Positive mention(s)	6 Positive mention(s)	1 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	2 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive

Summary

Vertex Pharmaceuticals beats Merck & Co., Inc. on 12 of the 17 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to AbbVie?

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) and AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) are both large-cap healthcare companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, profitability, dividends, institutional ownership, valuation, analyst recommendations, risk and media sentiment.

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than AbbVie. AbbVie is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Merck & Co., Inc.	$65.01B	5.60	$18.25B	$1.25	118.06
AbbVie	$61.16B	7.22	$4.23B	$3.54	70.59

Merck & Co., Inc. has a beta of 0.21, suggesting that its share price is 79% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, AbbVie has a beta of 0.29, suggesting that its share price is 71% less volatile than the broader market.

Merck & Co., Inc. presently has a consensus target price of $149.80, suggesting a potential upside of 1.51%. AbbVie has a consensus target price of $275.95, suggesting a potential upside of 10.43%. Given AbbVie's stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe AbbVie is more favorable than Merck & Co., Inc..

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Merck & Co., Inc.	0 Sell rating(s)	8 Hold rating(s)	15 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.65
AbbVie	0 Sell rating(s)	5 Hold rating(s)	19 Buy rating(s)	2 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.88

AbbVie has a net margin of 9.80% compared to Merck & Co., Inc.'s net margin of 4.77%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity of 16.73% beat AbbVie's return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Merck & Co., Inc.	4.77%	16.73%	6.13%
AbbVie	9.80%	-422.07%	14.34%

In the previous week, AbbVie had 94 more articles in the media than Merck & Co., Inc.. MarketBeat recorded 131 mentions for AbbVie and 37 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc.. AbbVie's average media sentiment score of 1.39 beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s score of 1.16 indicating that AbbVie is being referred to more favorably in the news media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
Merck & Co., Inc.	26 Very Positive mention(s)	6 Positive mention(s)	1 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	2 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
AbbVie	108 Very Positive mention(s)	8 Positive mention(s)	10 Neutral mention(s)	1 Negative mention(s)	3 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive

Merck & Co., Inc. pays an annual dividend of $3.40 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.3%. AbbVie pays an annual dividend of $6.92 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.8%. Merck & Co., Inc. pays out 272.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. AbbVie pays out 195.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Merck & Co., Inc. has increased its dividend for 14 consecutive years and AbbVie has increased its dividend for 53 consecutive years. AbbVie is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

76.1% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 70.2% of AbbVie shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.2% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.1% of AbbVie shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Summary

AbbVie beats Merck & Co., Inc. on 14 of the 20 factors compared between the two stocks.

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New MarketBeat Followers Over Time

This chart shows the number of new MarketBeat users adding MRK and its top 5 competitors to their watchlist. Each company is represented with a line over a 90 day period.

Media Sentiment Over Time

This chart shows the average media sentiment of NYSE and its competitors over the past 90 days as caculated by MarketBeat. The averaged score is equivalent to the following: Very Negative Sentiment <= -1.5, Negative Sentiment > -1.5 and <= -0.5, Neutral Sentiment > -0.5 and < 0.5, Positive Sentiment >= 0.5 and < 1.5, and Very Positive Sentiment >= 1.5.

MRK vs. The Competition

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Metric	Merck & Co., Inc.	Pharmaceuticals Industry	Healthcare Sector	NYSE Exchange
Market Cap	$364.38B	$12.41B	$7.17B	$23.36B
Dividend Yield	2.26%	2.59%	2.54%	3.73%
P/E Ratio	118.15	784.85	271.03	28.87
Price / Sales	5.60	754.04	663.19	96.73
Price / Cash	13.16	90.26	77.07	33.53
Price / Book	6.95	10.79	10.87	4.77
Net Income	$18.25B	$2.81B	$3.48B	$1.07B
7 Day Performance	-2.81%	-1.57%	-1.43%	-0.55%
1 Month Performance	14.75%	3.34%	2.26%	-1.90%
1 Year Performance	74.21%	5.57%	21.64%	12.08%

Merck & Co., Inc. Competitors List

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Company	MarketRank	Share Price	Analysts' Price Target	1Y Price Performance	Market Cap	Revenue	P/E Ratio	Employee Count	Indicator(s)
MRK Merck & Co., Inc.	4.5866 of 5 stars	$147.58 -0.6%	$149.80 +1.5%	+76.5%	$364.38B	$65.01B	118.15	75,000	Trending News Analyst Forecast
AMGN Amgen	3.9462 of 5 stars	$430.23 -0.5%	$380.43 -11.6%	+40.3%	$232.74B	$36.75B	26.76	31,500	Trending News Analyst Forecast
GILD Gilead Sciences	3.8798 of 5 stars	$145.10 -0.4%	$158.04 +8.9%	+26.5%	$179.91B	$29.44B	N/A	17,000	Positive News
MRNA Moderna	1.4714 of 5 stars	$141.77 +2.7%	$80.53 -43.2%	+465.2%	$56.39B	$1.94B	N/A	4,700
VRTX Vertex Pharmaceuticals	3.7603 of 5 stars	$536.61 -0.9%	$563.50 +5.0%	+33.8%	$136.19B	$12.00B	31.23	6,400	Positive News

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This page (NYSE:MRK) was last updated on 9/9/2026 by MarketBeat.com Staff.

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Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Competitors

MRK vs. AMGN, GILD, MRNA, VRTX, and ABBV

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Amgen?

Summary

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Gilead Sciences?

Summary

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Moderna?

Summary

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Vertex Pharmaceuticals?

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How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to AbbVie?

Summary

New MarketBeat Followers Over Time

Media Sentiment Over Time

MRK vs. The Competition

Merck & Co., Inc. Competitors List

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Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Competitors

MRK vs. AMGN, GILD, MRNA, VRTX, and ABBV

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Amgen?

Is AMGN or MRK more profitable?

Which has better earnings and valuation, AMGN or MRK?

Do analysts prefer AMGN or MRK?

Does the media refer more to AMGN or MRK?

Which has more risk and volatility, AMGN or MRK?

Is AMGN or MRK a better dividend stock?

Do institutionals and insiders hold more shares of AMGN or MRK?

Summary

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Gilead Sciences?

Does the media refer more to MRK or GILD?

Is MRK or GILD a better dividend stock?

Is MRK or GILD more profitable?

Do analysts recommend MRK or GILD?

Do insiders & institutionals have more ownership in MRK or GILD?

Which has stronger earnings & valuation, MRK or GILD?

Which has more risk & volatility, MRK or GILD?

Summary

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Moderna?

Does the media prefer MRNA or MRK?

Do analysts rate MRNA or MRK?

Which has better earnings and valuation, MRNA or MRK?

Do institutionals and insiders have more ownership in MRNA or MRK?

Is MRNA or MRK more profitable?

Which has more volatility & risk, MRNA or MRK?

Summary

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Vertex Pharmaceuticals?

Which has more volatility & risk, VRTX or MRK?

Do institutionals & insiders hold more shares of VRTX or MRK?

Which has preferable earnings & valuation, VRTX or MRK?

Is VRTX or MRK more profitable?

Do analysts recommend VRTX or MRK?

Does the media refer more to VRTX or MRK?

Summary

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to AbbVie?

Which has better valuation & earnings, MRK or ABBV?

Which has more volatility & risk, MRK or ABBV?

Do analysts rate MRK or ABBV?

Is MRK or ABBV more profitable?

Does the media favor MRK or ABBV?

Is MRK or ABBV a better dividend stock?

Do institutionals & insiders believe in MRK or ABBV?

Summary

New MarketBeat Followers Over Time

Media Sentiment Over Time

MRK vs. The Competition

Merck & Co., Inc. Competitors List

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MarketBeat All Access Features

Best-in-Class Portfolio Monitoring

Stock Ideas and Recommendations

Advanced Stock Screeners and Research Tools